as is above, so below — what to do when something isn’t working

This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the yoga community, answered.

The Question

I was doing core work and noticed I was putting too much stress on my lower back. I realized I needed to pick up the work from higher in my torso instead. Is there a general principle here?

— from a MJH note

Our Response

There is. As is above, so below.

Soft palate to pelvic floor. Diaphragm to pelvic floor. Top of the bandha chain to the bottom. There’s almost always a correspondence all the way down—and all the way up.

If something’s not working, go check the opposite end. Lower back unhappy? Look at what’s happening in your upper torso, your throat, your soft palate. Neck crunchy? Check your tailbone and pelvic floor.

It’s not mystical. It’s structural. The body is a continuous system of pressure, tone, and relationship.

You already did the thing: you felt the problem and traced it to the solution. Now you have a map for next time.